Aceros narcondami
– Vulnerable
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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AVES
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Order:
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CORACIIFORMES
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Family:
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BUCEROTIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Aceros narcondami
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Species Authority:
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Hume, 1873
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Common Name/s:
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| English | — | NARCONDAM HORNBILL |
| French | — | CALAO DE NARCONDAM |
| Spanish | — | CÁLAO DE NARCONDAM |
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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VU D1+2 ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2004
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Assessor/s:
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BirdLife International
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Evaluator/s:
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Tobias, J., Crosby, M., Peet, N., Collar, N. & Benstead, P. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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This hornbill qualifies as Vulnerable because it has a very small population on one tiny island. It appears to be stable despite limited hunting and habitat degradation.
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History:
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| 1988 | - | Threatened (Collar and Andrew 1988) |
| 1994 | - | Vulnerable (Collar, Crosby and Stattersfield 1994) |
| 2000 | - | Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2000) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Aceros narcondami is endemic to the tiny island of Narcondam, east of the Andaman Islands, India. In 1998, the population was estimated at 295-320 birds and stable, including an estimated 68-85 breeding pairs.
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Countries:
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Native:
India (Andaman Is., Nicobar Is.)
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Population
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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It is resident in fairly open mixed forest, which covers most of the island, from sea-level to the peak at c.700 m. The female is sealed into a nest-cavity for the duration of egg-laying and chick-rearing (the breeding period spanning at least February-April). At this time, the female sheds her flight feathers and is incapable of flight. Each pair generally raise two young.
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System:
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Terrestrial
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Threats
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Threats:
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A small police outpost was established on the island in 1969. Two or three hectares of forest have been lost to the creation of the post, and a plantation of fruit trees and vegetable plots. At least 10 living trees are cut each year for fuel wood for the camp and further wood is cut periodically for maintenance purposes. The introduction of domestic animals also poses a potential threat. There are now up to 400 goats on the island, as a result of which there is little natural forest regeneration, and a sizeable population of feral cats. Hunting for food results in an estimated annual loss of 25-40 birds, but given its high levels of recruitment, this is probably not a serious threat. Its small population and tiny range make it susceptible to natural disasters and disease.
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Conservation measures underway:
CITES Appendix II. It is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act and Narcondam Island is a wildlife sanctuary. Strict instructions not to hunt the species have been issued to the personnel on the island.
Conservation measures proposed:
Monitor the population regularly. Remove all goats from the island. Provide cooking fuel to the island's inhabitants to eliminate their requirement for fuelwood. Carefully investigate the possibility of establishing a second population on another suitable island in the Andamans in case of a serious population decline or natural disaster.
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